Basic PowerPoint Guidelines Some tips to make your presentations presentable!
Basic Rules - Fonts No more than 2 fonts per slideshow Use San Serif font (like Arial) Easier to read than serif fonts At least 36 pt. for headings At least 24 pt. for body text Keep size consistent for all slides
Choose Fonts Wisely Font size Easy to read (18 pt) Easy to read (24 pt) Easy to read (32 pt) Easy to read (48 pt)
Use Restraint With Fonts Stay away from gimmicky fonts unless for a theme Avoid script fonts Keep type sizes consistent Serif vs. San Serif fonts
Basic Rules Font Styles AVOID ALL CAPS VERY HARD TO READ Be consistent with capitalization Use bold for emphasis Or change the color Italics hard to read Don t underline
Avoid Text Overload Having too much text on the screen can defeat the purpose of using PowerPoint. The slides begin to look like a jumble of text, making slides difficult to read and unrecognizable from each other. People will try to read everything, copy everything down, or they will lose interest. List only the key points. If you have more info to include use more slides or create handouts.
Avoid Text Overload One of the most common mistakes in creating a presentation is to place too much information on the screen. This can cause the reader to become distracted from the speaker just like you are now. Audiences are much more receptive to the spoken word.
Basic Rules-Text Keep it simple Make bulleted points easy to read Keep text easy to understand Use concise wording Bullets are focal points Presenter provides elaboration Keep font size large
Basic Rules-Text Use the Rule of 6 s or 7 s No more than 6-7 bullets per slide No more than 6-7 words per bullet No punctuation at the end of bullet Capitalize only the first word & proper nouns Left align No more than 2 levels per slide
Basic Rules for Text Balance Do not center bullet points Makes the text ragged Hard to read and follow with your eyes
Balance Basic Rules for Presentations Generally, left align bulleted text This keeps things neat and easy to follow Use short phrases; not sentences Presenter speaks in complete sentences!
Basic Rules for Color/Contrast Contrast is important For paper Dark text on a light background Usually not plain white
For projection Basic Rules for Color/Contrast Light text on a semi-dark background The eye is attracted to the light on the screen
Use Contrasting Colors Light colors on dark background. Dark colors on light background.
Choosing a Color Scheme Stick with PowerPoint defaults What may look good on your computer may be unreadable in the classroom Remember to use strong, contrasting colors
Basic Rules for Backgrounds Stick with a single background Background is the stage for your information Set the stage and leave it alone Consider just choosing a design theme Pre-selected combination of colors Pre-selected combination of fonts
Basic Rules for Graphics Balance Place graphics off-center More room for text Better balance More pleasing to the eye Left placement leads the eye to the text on the right
Balance Basic Rules for Graphics Centered graphics leave little room for text
Clip Art & Graphics A few excellent graphics are better than many poor ones Photographs can be powerful Use sparingly Cite your images http://funny.st/snow-art/
Religious leader Civil rights activist Author/poet Labor activist Minister Antiwar activist
Martin Luther King Jr. Religious leader Civil rights activist Author/poet Labor activist Minister Antiwar activist http://themindunleashed.org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/01/brilkiantgt.jpg
Transitions & Animations Transitions Move from one slide to another Use the same throughout presentation Video clip http://www.gcflearnfree.org/powerpoint2013 /10
Animations & Transitions Animations Brings text and graphics in Can be all at once or by level Use sparingly Video clip http://www.gcflearnfree.org/powerpoint2013 /20
Basic Presentation Mistakes Too much information on screen Reader gets distracted Audiences are much more receptive to the spoken word
Basic Rules for Presentations Don t try to dazzle the audience with graphics or style but with the information The medium is not the message The information is the message
Final Slide In some presentations, final slide is reserved for: Final questions/thought for audience Contact information from speaker References or credits for graphics or videos